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R. E. KEOUGH TRACK GAUGE Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,885

Filed April 16, 1926 Patented Dec. 25, 1928. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT EMMET KEOUGH, OF MONTREAL WEST, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN FORK & HOE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TRACK GAUGE.

Application filed April is, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in railway track laying tools and more particularly to track rail gauges.

An object of the invention is to provide for accurately spacing railway rails parallel to each other.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rail gauge tool by theuse of which base spacing of the rails may readily be ac curately accomplished by gauging the spaciug of the bases of the rails.

Another object of my invention is to construct a rail gauge which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and which is durable.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent by reference to the accmi'ipanying specification and drawings, forming a part thereof, wherein I have shown several embodiments of my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows an elevation of one embodiment of my invention in use Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of one form of the rail flange contact and the retaining means therefor;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 shows a top plan of the same after formation Fig. (3 shows an elevation of still another form of rail flange contact;

Fig. 7 shows a top plan View of the same;

Fig.8 shows an elevation of a modifier form of rail and base flange contact;

Fig. 9 shows a side elevation of another embodiment of my invention with one of the contacts shown in section;

Fig. 10 shows a top plan view of the same; and 1 Fig. 11 shows an end elevation of the contact.

Referring now to all of the figures of the drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters. 1 designates a stock or body of my base rail gauge preferably formed of a rectangular rod of mild steel and adapted to support at one end thereof a head and base flange contactor 2 and at the opposite end thereof, a base flange contactor 3. The contactors 2 and 3 are preferably secured to the stock 1 by means of nuts and bolts 14 and 15, and 22 and 33 and plates Serial No. 102,568.

8 to 13 are interposed between the stock 1 and the said securing means. A handle 1 is preferably provided and secured in any suitable manner to the stock 1, the handle effecting better manipulation of the gauge by the worlni'ien.

The head and base flange contactor 2 is secured in a longitudinal slot 10 disposed in one end of the gauge stock 1, said contactor 2 having an upwardly extending main portion 5 formed with an outwardly bent hook portion 6, the lower edge of which is adapted to rest longitudinally upon the upper face of the rail head 20. The base of the contactor 2 is secured within the slot by means of nuts and bolts 14 and 15. The main portion of the contactor is cut away at 7 to provide for the U-shaped face plate 8 adapted to surround the stock at its end and fitted into recesses cut into the sides of the stock 1 adjacent the ends thereof, the plate being secured in place by means of the nuts and bolts 14 and 15. The manner of securing the contact member 2, heretofore described. assures a rigid and accurate connection of the same to the stock.

The outer edge of the Ushaped plate 8 of the stock presents a smooth vertical surface when contacting with the edge of the rail base flange 19.

The opposite end of the stock 1 supports the base flange contactor 3 in recessed portions 12 cut away from the bottom and end of the stock 1 so as to prevent any lateral displacement of the contact member 3 on the stock. The base flange contactor 3 is formed of an integral metal sheet which has preferably tive fingers 9, 9, 10, 11 and 13 cut from the blank and adapted to be alternately bent upward and downward relative to each other in such a manner that the lingers 10, 11 and .13 bend downwardly at right angles to the main body of the contact 3 and the intermediate fingers 9 are bent upwardly at an angle corresponding to the angles of the upper face of'the rail base flange 71. upper side of the stock 1 is recessed to receive a plate 13 upon which the nuts and bolts and 23 of the bolts bear to secure the base flange contactor 3 to the stock 1.

When it is desired to lay a section of track, one rail is secured in place upon a tie plate on the ties in any manner depending upon the type of ties that are used. For illustra- The tion I will assume that Wooden ties are to be used together with the tie plates having inwardly inclined faces so that the head flanges and 2lare canted inwardly. When the rails 17 have beenplaeed on the ties, the base gauge is caused to rest the lateral projection 6 of the contactor 2, upon the upper face of the rail head 20 and at the same time the U-shaped face plate 8 contacted with the edge of the rail flange 19. The stock 1 is held in horizontal position perpendicular to the rail 17 while the rail is brought into its approximate position on the tie plates. The contactojr 3 will be engaged by the rail base flange 71 when the rail'is moved towards the contactor 3. The turned down fingers 12, 10 and 18will engage the inner edge of the base rail flange 21 while the in s 11 and 13 will rest upon the upper inclined face thereof. The head rail is held in the position described while it is being secured to the tie in any well known manner. It ill be seen from the above that any settling of the rails 17 or 71 is prevented in that the base of the rail has been properly gauged in place by my gauge. Heretofore the practice has been to gaugerails from the rail head flange which has proved entirely unsatisfactory on account of the rails settling out of alignment during the heavy usage to which they are subjected.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10 ofthe drawings wherein I'have disclosed another embodiment of my inventionof which is designated as the stock or body my gauge and which is preferably of wood and provided at each end withcontact face plates 27 and 28. The ends of the stock 25' are preferably re duced at 24 and 26 by cutting away a portion thereof, so as to form upwardly and clownwardlyinclined surfaces. The downwardly inclined surfaces receive the inclined portions 29 of the contactors 27 and 28. Inasn'iueh as the contact plates 27 and 28 are identical in construction and may be attached to either end of the stock 1, in the same manner I will hereafter described one of the said plates which will be understood to apply to each of the contact plates 2'? and 28. The contact plates 27 and 28 are preferably formed of an integral bony of metal having the downwardly inclined base 29 whiei is secured to the bottom of the stock 25 preferably by means of the screws 81. The upright wall 31 of the contactors are secured to the extremity of the stock 1 by screws 32. Depending from the portions 29 of the contactors 27 and 28 and forming an integral part thereof, are the downward extensions 33 which are provided to engage the edges of the rail base flanges such as the flange 34tof a rail The stock 25 may be provided with a handle 31 See-uredtothe'tOp side of the same, preferably intermediate the ends thereof.-

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the tanee between the rail heads was than when the rails are ori drawings I have illustrated two other embodiment employing rail contactors which may be employed. The base flange contactor 4-0 illustrated in F igs. 6 and 7 comprises a forked body portion secured in any suitable manner to one end of the stock all and having the li'iw'er side a l thereof inclined downwardly at 42 and terminating in an integral flange 4;}, adapted to contact with the edge and top of the rail base flange l5 of a rail 50. The forl'zed ends and T7 are spaced a substantial distance apart to effect desired ali nment The rail and base flange c'onta'c tor illustrated in Fig. 8 comprises an u'pi'vardly and outwardly extending contact portion 60, preferably made of sheet steel, the end 61 adapted to Contact with the upper face of a rail 62. The lower end of the contact member e2;- tends downwardly beyond thelo'wer face of the stock (33 to form a depending projection 6-1 which is adapted to rest against the edge of the base flange G l of a rail 62 in a manner shown in the drawings. The bottom of the stock 63 formed with a grooved edge portion 66 adjacent its end which clears the base rail flange 65.

Each rail does not rest upon a single tie alone but on a large number of ties which in turn are embedded in the roadbed, which l i been carefully levelled. Individual ties may vary in their upper surface to a slight extent, but when the rail is spiked to all of the ties upon which it rests, and particularly after the rails have been used by trains running over them, they will take such a position de tcrmined by the general level of all the ties and the weight sustained by the rails.

If a gauge adapted to predetermine the dis used and the ties spiked in place to i'i'iaintain this d anee, ultimately through use the rails may can't to their normal positions which may be vertical or which may be inclined if cradles are intern posed between the tie and rail, which have sloping upper siirfaces in order to give the rails the desired amount of cent. The rails will ultii'uately then be differently spaced ially placed.

Applicants invention, howeve for spacing of the rail bases; whereby even though, for instance, all of the snilzes were driven on the inside of the rail to grea ier extent than hose on the outside, producing initial canting,"tl1a't subsequently when set tling has o'ec'uied and the rails take, they ultimately and inevitably must do, their predetermined relation of canting depending upon the slope of surfaces upon which they rest, the p cing between the rail heads will be that which it should be with their bases spaced a predeternnned distance apart.

it will'be apparent that-a gauge coi'istructed described will readily and accirately space the rails in parallel relation to each other without the probability of the rails subseprovides liii adapted to be disposed between a pair of railway rails, a plurality of rail contactor elements for the bar carried at ends thereof and adapted to make simultaneous contact with both rails of the track, one of said elements adapted to rest upon the top surface of the rail head, a second co-ntactor element at the same end of the bar relatively so dis posed as to contact at its outer edge with the inner edge of the base flange of the rail upon whose head the first clement rests, a third contactor element at the other end of the bar disposed to contact with the rail base flange of the companionrail of the trrelc.

2. A. track gauge comprising a spacer bar adapted to be disposed between a pair of railway rails, a plurality of rail contactor elements for the bar carried at ends thereof and adapted to make simultaneous contact with both rails of the track, one of said elements adapted to rest upon the top surface of the rail head, a second contactor element at the same end of the bar relatively so disposed as to contact at its outer edge with the inner edge of the base flange of the rail upon whose head the first element rests, athird contactor element at the other end of the bar disposed to contact with the rail base flange of the companion rail of the track,

posed as to contact at its outer edge with the inner edge of the base flange of the rail upon whose head the first element rests, a third cont actor element at the other end of the bar disposed to contact with the rail base flange of the companion rail of the track, said first and said second contactor elements comprising rail contacting surfaces disposed at right angles to each other, said hird contactor having its rail contacting surfaces disposed in a plane parallel to the contacting surface of the said second contactor element.

a. A track gauge comprising a spacer bar adapted to be disposed between a pair of railway rails, plurality of rail contactor elements for the bar carried at ends thereof and adapted to make simultaneous contact with both rails of the track, one of said elements adapted to rest upon the top surface of the rail head, a second contact-or element at the same end of the bar relatively so disposed as to contact at its outer edge with the inner edge of the base flange of the rail upon. whose head the first element rests, a third cont actor element at the other end of the bar disposed to contact with the rail base flange of the companion rail of the track, said first and said second contactor elements comprising rail contacting surfaces disposed at right angles to each other, said third contactor having its rail contacting surfaces disposed in a plane parallel to the contacting surface of the said second contactor element, said bar having an outwardly directed extension from the said other end adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the adjacent rail base flange.

5. A track gauge comprising a spacer bar adapted to be disposed between a pair of railway rails, and a plurality of rail contactor elements for the bar carried at ends thereof and adapted to make simultaneous contact with both rails of the track, one of said elements adapted to contact with the inner edge of the rail base flange, a second contact element at the opposite end of the bar relatively so disposed as to contact at its outer edge with the inner edge of the base flange of the companion rail, a third contact-or element at the same end of the bar adjacent the second element disposed to contact with the upper surface of the rail base flange of the rail of the track.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afl'ix my signature this 16th day of March, 1926.

ROBERT EMMET KEOUGH. 

